Who is Eligible for this Program?
The PFMP is available to the following members of the Coast Guard

Active Duty, Select Reservists, and their family members

Civil Service employees

Exchange System and MWR employees

Purpose of Program
According to the National Financial Capability Study – Military Survey – Executive Summary (2010), “Financial problems also can have a direct impact on military readiness. Military personnel, who experience serious financial problems can lose their security clearance, face criminal sanctions or be discharged from the military”. The PFMP is responsible for ensuring the necessary financial information and resources are available to Coast Guard personnel and their family members to prevent these situations and others from happening.

Program Confidentiality
Discussions of individual personal finances are confidential.

Services and Resources Available

Personal Financial Managers (PFMs):PFMs are a part of the Work-Life staff at each Health, Safety, and Work-Life Regional Practice (HSWL-RP). If a PFM is not available at your location, the Personal Financial Management Coordinator (PFMC) at the HSWL-RP can assist you with obtaining resources to assist with financial hurdles.

Command Financial Specialists (CFS):
CFSs are members of the military who have been appointed by the commanding officer to provide financial education and training, counseling and information referral at the command level. The CFS should be the first stop for the Military member who has questions or issues about financial readiness. CFSs are located at most units throughout the Coast Guard. Please contact your HSWL RP or CO/OIC to locate a CFS in your unit/area.

DISCLAIMER: Links to non-federal entities are
provided as an administrative convenience. The Coast Guard cannot and does
not endorse any of the linked non-federal entities, their products, or their
services

Military Saves - Military Saves is a social marketing campaign to persuade, motivate, and encourage military families to save money every month, and to convince leaders and organizations to be aggressive in promoting automatic savings.

Spendster - Face it: you’ve made some lousy purchases. But don’t worry; you’re not the only one. Spendster recognizes that everyone has a junk drawer or garage full of stuff they never use or a spending habit they just can’t break. That’s why Spendster has created a safe haven for you to clear the air about what’s cluttering your life or draining your wallet.

Debt & Credit Assistance

National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) - A great site for useful information and services related to debt management. NFCC is the nation's largest and longest serving national nonprofit credit counseling organization. Coast Guard Mutual Assistance has long partnered with NFCC and will pay reasonable fees for counseling services provided by their member agencies, Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) offices, nation-wide. To find a CCCS office near you go to www.debtadvice.org/TakeTheFirstStep/locator.cfm or call 1-800-388-2227.

Incharge Debt Solutions - Military Debt Relief - InCharge Debt Solutions recognizes that service members from all branches of the US military face the same financial challenges confronting many Americans, greatly compounded by the nature of military service where “mobility” is a reality of life. InCharge is a leading nonprofit organization which has brought debt relief to over a million struggling Americans, and we’ve developed tools and alliances to bring specialized help to military families struggling with debt overload and the unique challenges of military life.

Consumer Awareness/Affairs:

Better Business Bureau (BBB) Coast Guard Line - A Coast Guard Qualified Organization, encourages Coast Guard personnel (including Reservists), retirees, and their family members to use the free consumer services and materials offered by BBB, as well as to partner with their local BBBs. BBB is proud to work with the Coast Guard Office of Work-Life to improve the financial readiness of Coast Guardsmen and their families.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) - The consumer bureau is working to give consumers the information they need to understand the terms of their agreements with financial companies. Like a neighborhood cop on the beat, the CFPB supervises banks, credit unions, and other financial companies, and we will enforce Federal consumer financial laws.

FDIC Money Smart - Money Smart is a comprehensive financial education curriculum designed to help low- and moderate-income individuals outside the financial mainstream enhance their financial skills and create positive banking relationships. Money Smart has reached over 2.75 million consumers since 2001. Research shows that the curriculum can positively influence how consumers manage their finances, and these changes are sustainable in the months after the training.

Homeowners Assistance Program - This program authorizes the Secretary of Defense to provide financial aid to eligible military (including Coast Guard), civilian, certain overseas employees, and non-appropriated fund employee homeowners who have served or have been employed at or near military installations which the Department of Defense (DoD) has ordered to be closed or whose operations have been significantly reduced and where real estate values have declined because of the announced closure or realignment.

Stop Fraud - Fraudulent activities should always be reported to your local law enforcement office. This website provides additional information on how specific types of fraud complaints or cases of suspected fraud can be submitted to federal agencies.

Investing/Retirement:

my Retirement paycheck - Explore your retirement decisions. Gives you information to assist in making wise decisions that will make your resources go further so you can enjoy greater financial well-being in retirement.

SaveAndInvest.org - Unbiased financial tools and information for military families and all investors from the FINRA Foundation.

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) - The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement savings and investment plan for Federal employees and members of the uniformed services, including the Ready Reserve. It was established by Congress in the Federal Employees' Retirement System Act of 1986 and offers the same types of savings and tax benefits that many private corporations offer their employees under 401(k) plans.